A new video and Twitter account purportedly sent from ex-convict OJ Simpson went viral early on Saturday morning, with the former football star saying that he has “got a little getting even to do.”
The video, which was published shortly before the 25th anniversary of Simpson’s infamous Ford Bronco car chase, was posted on a new account with the title @TheRealOJ32. Malcolm LaVergne, Simpson’s attorney, confirmed to CNN that the video and account were real.
“Mr. Simpson is the most positive person I’ve ever met,” LaVergne said. “He’s also very well informed on current events. He will not be negative. Nor will he comment on the LA thing. It will be one of the best accounts on Twitter to follow.”
Twitter declined TheWrap’s requests for comment.
“Hey Twitter world, this is yours truly and I’m coming soon to Twitter,” Simpson said in the video. “You get to read all my thoughts and opinions on just about everything.”
“This should be a lot of fun. I’ve got a little getting even to do, so God bless, take care.”
Coming Soon!!! pic.twitter.com/R1tXOuuLgO
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) June 15, 2019
Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, was found dead at her home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles with her friend, Ron Goldman, on June 12, 1994. Simpson was arrested five days later in connection to the murder but was acquitted in October 1995. A 1997 civil lawsuit filed by the victims’ families found Simpson to be responsible for their deaths, with the families awarded $33.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
In 2008, Simpson was found guilty of robbing a sports memorabilia dealer in Las Vegas in September 2007. He served nine years in prison and was granted parole and released in 2017.
Simpson’s video has elicited various reactions on Twitter, from jokes about the Twitter fostering an environment comfortable for a figure like Simpson to questions over whether the video was a “deepfake” similar to the fake videos that were said to be from public figures like Nancy Pelosi and Kim Kardashian.
Read some of the reactions below.
I see that the unrepentant murderer just joined Twitter.
Can everyone do me a big favor?
Please follow Ron Goldman’s sister, @KimEGoldman
She should have more followers than that monster.
Please RT pic.twitter.com/5TzcLkNcP4
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) June 15, 2019
Twitter has created such a safe, nurturing environment over time that now, OJ Simpson, feels comfortable joining this community.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) June 15, 2019
oj simpson joins twitter and in 13 hours already has 155K followers. I wonder if he was still just a football great, actor and pitchman if he'd have as many followers as he does now that he's also a double murderer. are folks waiting for the confession? I wouldn't bank on that.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 15, 2019
Only on Twitter for a few hours, but OJ Simpson already has a killer ratio.
— Robert A George (@RobGeorge) June 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/KendraJames_/status/1139775989930577927
This double murderer has "got a little getting even to do."
Holy hell. https://t.co/HUH658xXmC— Steve Gorman (@SGSFOX) June 15, 2019
https://twitter.com/JeffGarlick/status/1139918894431383559
UPDATE 12:55 PM PT — Updated to include verification from Simpson’s attorney